Helbers Suspends Collection Due to Production Woes

LONDON — Paul Helbers has put his eponymous men’s wear collection on ice due to production problems and confirmed Friday that the fall 2017 collection had not been delivered to clients.
The Dutch designer cited “a considerable controversy with our production coordination platform in Italy” and said “further development of the Helbers wardrobe will be put on hold for the moment.” He indicated that there were some quality issues. “The affordable high quality of the line is what we believe part of our initial success and requires a rigorous manufacturing standard.”
Helbers said that although the brand will be unavailable on the market, “I will continue to consult on collections, style, interior decoration, photography and visual communication.”
He said his signature brand would remain loyal to the ateliers with which it has been working, and that he is currently studying “alternative set-ups for the coordination of our production and logistics. The deliberate small scale of our company is to be able to work with specialized ateliers who can craft with skill and innovation.”
Helbers launched his first 20-piece collection in January 2016 in Paris, and became known for his laid-back tailoring, rich colors and fabrics. Before going solo, he did a five-year stint as